King Charles makes selfless gesture to Meghan Markle & Prince Harry – even though duchess won’t be coming to Coronation
KING Charles has made a selfless gesture to Meghan and Harry ahead of his coronation - despite the Duchess not attending.
His Majesty will be crowned in a pomp and pageantry-filled extravaganza on May 6.
The events will continue over Sunday May 7 and Monday May 8, which has been declared a bank holiday.
Only Prince Harry will attend his dad's crowning, while Meghan stays in California with kids Archie, who turns four the day Charles is crowned, and Lilibet, 22-months.
It is understood the Duke of Sussex had a "heart to heart" with Charles, 74, and a "willingness and wanting to mend on both sides” prior to confirming his attendance.
Harry will travel alone from his Montecito home - it will be the first time he has been with The Firm since the release of explosive memoir Spare and the Sussexes' six-part Netflix docu-series.
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Insiders say the King is “happy” with his son’s decision and “understanding” of Meghan staying behind with their kids.
But while Meghan, 41, will not appear at the coronation, father in-law Charles has extended an olive branch - by including a photo of the pair in the official Buckingham Palace programme for the coronation.
The says the rare, relaxed private family portrait was taken to mark the monarch's 70th birthday in 2018.
It was shot in the gardens at Clarence House and shows The King with Prince George on his knee, Camilla cuddling Charlotte and the then-Duchess of Cambridge holding a little Prince Louis.
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Behind the bench Prince William, 40, stands next to his brother, who has his arm around a laughing Meghan.
At the time, Meghan and Kate had had a bust up over Princess Charlotte's bridesmaid's dress.
Meanwhile Prince Harry was privately accusing his family of not being supportive enough of Meghan who he'd married that May.
The gesture comes as Charles told of his “immense pride” in William and Harry in a speech on Friday — although the brothers are still not speaking to each other.
The King and newly titled Queen Camilla will arrive at Westminster Abbey in The King’s Procession on Saturday morning.
This will be followed by the coronation service conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
ORDER OF SERVICE
The service will “reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry”.
After the service, the newly-crowned King and Queen will return to the Palace in a larger ceremonial parade known as the Coronation Procession.
This is expected to include thousands of troops, military bands and other members of the Royal Family.
After the procession, fifteen members of the Royal Family - excluding Harry - will appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace
Working members of the Royal Family, including Princess Anne and Prince Edward, along with their other halves, will stand alongside The King and Queen.
But there will be no place for Prince Harry, Meghan Markle or disgraced Prince Andrew.
A blockbuster concert featuring global pop icons such as Take That, Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and opera star Andrea Bocelli, will rock the Berkshire castle on Sunday May 7.
Thousands of people all over the UK will be encouraged to stage street parties in another stunning show of pageantry to the world.
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Iconic locations around the UK will be illuminated with projections, lasers and drone displays as the “centrepiece” of celebrations to mark His Majesty’s crowning in a very modern way.
Royal experts predicted the event will “dwarf” even last year’s spectacular celebrations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
